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More May Records

May 10, 2013

More May Records

In addition to those recent early May climate records reported in
Minnesota WeatherTalk Newsletter last week, some additional climate
records were set during the start of May which I overlooked. May 3rd
brought additional daily record snowfalls to Zumbro Falls (3.6"),
Wabasha (3.9"), Minnesota City (4.0"), Winona Dam (5.0"), Theilman
(5.3"), Lanesboro (6.4"), and Grand Meadow (9.0"). The storm total over
May 2-3, 2013 of 17.2" at Dodge Center may have been a state record
snowfall amount for a two-day may snow storm. The Minnesota State
Climatology Office reports only one higher total May snowfall, that of
17.8 inches at Virginia (St Louis County) over the first 8 days of the
month in 1954. Besides the snowfall records some new daily
precipitation records were set as well, including 1.02" at Spring Valley
on the 1st. On May 2nd even more daily precipitation records were set,
including 2.12" at Red Wing, 2.06" at Austin, 1.87" at Dodge Center,
1.85" at Owatonna, 1.78" at Theilman, 1.70" at Hastings, and 1.45" at
Waseca. On May 3rd La Crescent reported a record daily precipitation
amount of 1.24" and Winona a record 1.20". Then on May 4th Spring
Valley reported a record daily precipitation value of 0.74 inches.
Through the first ten days of May a number of southeastern communities
have already exceeded normal precipitation for the month of May,
including Grand Meadow (5.43"), Minnesota City (4.99"), Rochester
(3.86"), Theilman (4.39"), Wabasha (4.15"), and Winona Dam (4.35").

(A side note: the seasonal snowfall totals for 2012-2013 are now high
ranking for several Minnesota climate stations: Island Lake (St Louis
County) set a new seasonal snowfall record with 134.2 inches, Isabella
(Lake County) set a new seasonal snowfall record with 143.5 inches,
Babbitt (St Louis County) set a new seasonal snowfall record with 112.5
inches, and Hibbing-Chisholm Airport set a new seasonal snowfall record
with 120.5 inches. Both Duluth (129.4") and Wolf Ridge (124.5")
reported their 3rd highest seasonal snowfall totals).

Of further
note, some cold temperature records were set during the first few days
of May. New record cold daytime maximum temperature records were set on
the 2nd of May at Rochester (33 F) and Brainerd (41 F). On May 3rd
another cold maximum daily temperature record was set at Rochester (33
F), and on May 4th record cold daily maximum temperatures were reported
from Brainerd (41 F) and Hibbing (40 F). These values are about 30
degrees F colder than normal.

Record wet start to 2013

The south-central and southeastern climate divisions of Minnesota are
off to a record start in 2013 in terms of precipitation. For
south-central Minnesota observers the average total precipitation
received through the first 4 months of the year (Jan-Apr) is 11.17
inches, surpassing the previous record wet first four months from 2001
(10.27 inches). For southeastern Minnesota observers the first four
months of 2013 show an average precipitation amount of 13.80 inches,
surpassing the previous record wet starting four months from 2001 (10.50
inches). These amounts have restored the flow of many watersheds,
raised lake levels, and replenished soil moisture. In fact tile lines
are reported to be running in some area soils.

The weekly drought
update continues to show improvement for much of the Minnesota
landscape. Early in the spring up to 84 percent of the landscape was
classified to be in severe or extreme drought. As of May 7th that area
has shrunk to just 15 percent, as some areas of the state have seen
precipitation values for the year exceed normal by 3 to 5 inches. Some
southwestern Minnesota counties remain in severe drought.

Weekly Weather potpourri

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center was monitoring two cyclones in the
Indian Ocean this week. One is expected to increased in strength and
make landfall in Myanmar on Tuesday or Wednesday next week with strong
winds, heavy rainfall, and high seas. The other cyclone was spinning in
the Southern Indian Ocean well away from any land. It too was expected
to strengthen over the weekend, then weaken by the middle of next week.

USDA-NRCS
announced this week the release of a new Water Quality Index for
agricultural runoff (labeled WQIag) which can be used by crop producers
to assess how their management practices affect water quality measures
in the runoff from their fields. USDA hopes that crop producers will
use this tool to evaluate the effectiveness of their conservation
practices (reduced tillage, precision placement of fertilizer, and
reduced pesticide applications) on a field by field basis. You can read
more about this new tool here.

A note issued from Brad Rippey, USDA meteorologist this week about the condition of pasture lands in the Great Plains:

"We
are starting out 2013 in by far the worst shape on record, with respect
to U.S. pasture and rangeland conditions. This is on the strength of
continuing drought from California to the Great Plains. This part of
the country accounts for a disproportionately large percentage of the
nation’s rangeland. Of course, we’re coming off a year (2012) when all
sorts of pasture/rangeland condition records were set (see attached
graph). Previous drought years that were surpassed by the Drought of
2012 – with respect to poor pasture and rangeland conditions – include
2000, 2002, and 2006. You can read more of Brad's detailed analysis of
the situation at the USDA blog.

Science teachers may be interested to know that the United Kingdom
Meteorological Office has recently updated its Education Page with a
U-tube product offering a daily forecast for grade school children
(called "Rain or Shine"), as well as more web-based activities that are
fun to use in engaging elementary school children about weather. You
can learn more at...

Environment Canada release its new seasonal climate outlook products
this week, examining the period from May through July. Their outlooks
tend to favor above normal temperature and below normal precipitation
for the southern Manitoba border with Minnesota. But you can examine
these in more detail at their web site.

Recent research by scientists from MIT documents the source of cirrus
clouds in the high levels of Earth's troposphere. Their work shows that
the vast majority of these cloud particles nucleate around mineral dust
or metallic aerosols. You can read more about this work here.

MPR listener question

With corn just started to be planted this week around the state, will this be the latest planting season in state history?

Answer:
Certainly in the context of the past three decades, this year will be a
very late planting season. We have had much of the state corn crop
planted by the end of April in many recent years, including last year.
In addition it appears there was a good deal of winter injury to alfalfa
fields this year, so these will take a while to recover, and perhaps
some will be replanted. Certainly the first crop of hay will be cut
later than usual this spring.

Historically a combination of wet
soils and cool temperatures have prevented farmers from timely planting
of crops. Since the mid-20th Century the latest planting seasons in
history for corn occurred in 1950, 1953, 1969, and 1979. In all of
these years fully half of the state's corn acreage was not planted until
the 4th week of May. With modern field equipment and other
technologies today's farmers are capable of planting half of the state's
corn acreage in a week if the weather affords them the opportunity. So
it remains to be seen exactly how late planting will be this year.

Twin Cities Almanac for May 10th

The average MSP high temperature for this date is 66 degrees F (plus or
minus 10 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 45
degrees F (plus or minus 8 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for May 10th

MSP weather records for this date include: highest daily maximum
temperature of 90 degrees F in 1987; lowest daily maximum temperature of
43 degrees F in 1902; lowest daily minimum temperature of 28 F in 1907;
highest daily minimum temperature of 68 F in 1922; and record
precipitation of 1.40 inches in 1986; Record snowfall is a trace in 1946
and 1966.

Average dew point for May 10th is 40 degrees F, with a maximum of 70 degrees F in 2011 and a minimum of 14 degrees F in 1981.

All-time state records for May 10th

The state record high temperature for this date is 97 degrees F at
Beardsley (Big Stone County) in 1928. The state record low temperature
for this date is 11 degrees F at Pine River Dame (Crow Wing County) in
1905 and at Roseau (Roseau County) in 1981. State record precipitation
for this date is 4.27 inches at Wheaton (Traverse County) in 1920; and
the state record snowfall for this date is 6.0 inches at Pigeon River
Bridge (Cook County) in 1927.

Past Weather Features:

A May
Heat Wave brought 90 degrees F for three consecutive days (8th-10th) in
1887. Daytime temperatures reached the low to mid 90s F in western and
southern counties. The only cool spot in the state was along the north
shore of Lake Superior where daytime temperatures remained in the 50s
and 60s F. May of 1887 turned out to be one of the warmest in state
history.
A rare late spring snow storm passed across the northern
parts of the state over May 10, 1902 delivering 1 to nearly 5 inches of
snowfall. Duluth reported temperatures in the upper 30s F with 5.5
inches of snowfall.

May 10th, 1953 brought a tornado outbreak
to our region, producing at least four well-documented storms in
Minnesota between approximately 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm. The first tornado
near Starbuck (Pope County) in western Minnesota was on the ground for
20 miles. An F-2 storm (winds 113-157 mph) this tornado destroyed many
rural buildings and killed a number of livestock. Another F-2 tornado
hit near Hollandale (Freeborn County) destroying a number of homes and
killing 8 people. Later about 5:00 pm the same large thunderstorm
system produced an F-3 tornado (winds 158-206 mph) that moved 18 miles
across the landscape of Olmsted and Winona Counties, passing near St
Charles. One person was killed and eleven injured by this storm which
also snapped hundreds of trees in Whitewater State Park. The final
tornado of the day, another F-3 struck in Fillmore County and damaged
many farms near Wycoff and Chatfield, completely destroying one rural
school. It was on the ground for 40 miles, killing one person and
injuring 5 others.

Strong thunderstorms brought heavy rains, hail,
and high winds to the state over May 9-10, 1979. Hail the size of golf
balls caused extensive damage in Cokato, while flash floods closed roads
and flooded basements in some central and southern Minnesota
communities. Two day rainfall totals ranged from 3-4 inches in many
areas, and left many agricultural fields underwater.

Two of the
coldest May 10ths in state history were in 1966 and 1981. In both
cases early morning temperatures fell into the teens and twenties on a
statewide basis, causing some frost damage to newly emerged crops. In
1966 temperatures fell into the teens F as far south as Preston and
Caledonia, while in 1981 a state record low was set at Roseau with a
mid-winter temperature of just 11 degrees F.

The warmest May 10th
in state history occurred in 1987 when over 50 Minnesota communities
reported daytime highs of 90 degrees F or greater. That May was so warm
and dry that crop producers were able to plant corn and soybean crops
especially early. First cutting of alfalfa hay was exceptionally early
as well.

Outlook

Cooler temperatures over the weekend. Windy on Saturday with a chance
for showers in the northeast. Then chance of frost early Sunday
morning, warming into the 50s F by afternoon. Stronger warming on Monday
and Tuesday as temperatures rise well above normal. There will be a
chance for showers late on Tuesday and into Wednesday.